| Ivan Posey, born on January 11, 1960, was the youngest of 13 children. His upbringing on the Wind River Indian Reservation, along with his education at Fort Washakie Elementary, Chilocco Indian School in Chilocco, Oklahoma, and Central Wyoming College, shaped his journey in tribal leadership and education.
After high school, Posey's journey led him to the United States Army, where he served with honor. His career then turned towards environmental management, civil rights, and diversity, working for eight years for the USDA Forest Service in the Shoshone National Forest. His dedication was recognized when he was elected as a Kellogg Fellow in 1993 and served as an Ambassador with Americans for Indians Opportunity.
From 1994 until 2002, Posey served on the Shoshone Business Council and was Chairman from 2000 to 2002. He was employed as the Culture Director for Fremont County School District #38, Arapahoe School, before being appointed by Governor Dave Freudenthal, as the first Tribal Liaison for the Shoshone and Arapaho Tribes of the Wind River Indian Reservation, where he served from 2003 to 2004.
In 2004, he was elected back to the Shoshone Business Council and served as Chairman from 2004 until 2011 retiring from the Council in 2016. He served the tribe for 21 years.
Throughout his career, Posey has been a leader in public safety, federal funding, law enforcement, youth issues, land resources, and gaming. He is the founder of the Eastern Shoshone Boys and Girls Club and served as Chairman of the Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council, which consists of 11 tribes from Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho, from 2011 to 2016.
Posey currently serves on the following boards- Americans for Indian Opportunity, Advancement for Indigenous Opportunity International, Wind River Development Fund, and Community Entry Services.
An enrolled member of the Eastern Shoshone tribe, Posey is also Northern Cheyenne and Northern Arapaho.
Ivan has three children- Alex, Sadie, and Seth. |